(I added the resources I’ve used at the end. But this is not really a “How-To” Guide, but something that might give you some inspiration on your own stuff... or just a fun read.
INTRO
So, for years I’ve been world-building this little sci-fi universe. It started off as a book idea about a decade ago, but I decided to really flesh out the foundation after watching George R R Martin talk about, “do it for real.” In the spirit of Tolkien. You know; do it from the ground up, and paint in all the corners. And so while I was working on this, I got the idea of making a little world-building channel. I was hoping to make a few of these lore articles showcasing what I’ve done so far. History, geography, and politics of this WORLDS WAR.
To begin, I’ll make a quick breakdown of the map and its factions.
SOL
So, welcome to Sol, the year is 2513. Humanity has reached every planet from here to the Kuiper Belt. Earth, or Terra as it’s now called, has gone through a lot in the last 500 years. An asteroid impact, floodings, sun flares, wars, you name it. Poles have melted, famines, merging of nations, nuclear destruction of others.
The mother planet is now split up into a few major power players.
RZRR
One is the RZRR, a dual empire that originally comprised of a Russo-Sino Alliance. This union grew to incorporate neighboring states as it transformed into a bonafide empire ruled by the twin emperors. Not actual twins. But two families representing an unbreakable brotherhood between the two former nations. the RZRR was also the first to really venture into deep space, colonizing Venus, Mercury, Mars, and a majority of the Astrobelt (formerly known as the Astroid belt). This was during their heyday, though, and their powers have steadily declined for the last hundred years.
ITU
The Second Terra Faction is the ITU. A trade union of numerous nations too long to mention, but including North-America, Europe, India, and Far-East Asia. They grew out of the UN/NATO, but are now overseen by a prime minister and a ceremonial queen. The ITU made a dash for the planets outside of the Astrobelt as the RZRR slowed down. The Jovian System is their crown jewel. Here we have the moon of Callisto, which has been terraformed into a tropic-like world of four-hundred million people. Europa, which has a few large underwater cities, and Ganymedis, home to some of the greatest domed shipyards in the system. Sprinkle in a bunch of astroids and a massive navy, and the ITU is a force to be reckoned with.
RESTORED LEAGUE
Third on the Terra list is The Restored League: Another old empire, made up of Arabic nations, such as most of the Middle east, North Africa, and South East Asia. The Restored League also has a solid presence in the Saturnian System where it terraformed the moon once named Titan, but now known as Al Muhima... or Jeruk if you’re in the Indonesian parts. Mostly a desert planet with some smaller seas. The terraforming never really took to this moon, but it’s still home to an impressive two-hundred million inhabitants that can breathe fresh air under an open sky. The system is also home to underground colonies on several moons, but these are usually around the 1 million mark.
LEFA
And then, last of the Terra Empire is arguably its future. LEFA. Unifying all of South and Central America into the Federated States of the Americas. LEFA has a finger in every pie. From buying Io near Jupiter from the RZRR, buying Enceladus from the Restored League near Saturn, to venturing out to the Uranian System to terraform Titania, and to Neptune to terraform Nuevo Triton. LEFA is a sleeping giant. housing state-of-the-art shipyards on the edge of the system. Titania's terraforming might have failed, leaving a cold mountainous planet, but Nuevo Triton is thriving in the dim light of Sol at the frontier. Six-hundred million people now call it home.
With these distances, it’s impossible to maintain an empire. A trip from Terra to Neptune would take around three months. That’s a problem.
So now that we’re done with the Empires from Terra. let’s look at the newer players of this system.
VENUS
First is The Venite State. born out of a shipyard riot on Venus in 2386 against the RZRR. Where twelve of the premier shipbuilding companies rose up together and demanded independence from their former colonists. Forming a Republic, though Venus is actually more of a military oligarchy. Secluded, culturally and politically. Looking to the new powers for alliances.
CONFEDERATION
The main of these being the Confederation. During the Martian Revolution of 2447, again, against the RZRR, who held dominion over Mars and had terraformed it. Venus supported the socialist revolt. Which split the planet in two. Civil war lasted for thirteen months, and at the end of it, the Confederation had captured about half of the planet. Now a military dictatorship run on Socialist propaganda, the Confederation is at odds with most of the old guard from Terra. And a bitter rival to their brother, The Hellian Kingdom.
HELLIA
After the Civil war, Hellia was born. Though it claims independence and is officially a sovereign nation with its own king, it still has strong ties and is loyal to the RZRR, which tells them which way the wind blows. Hellia sports a formidable military, and has for decades been the buffer zone where this new faction rubs up against the old.
OTHER FACTIONS
There are other smaller territories on Mars too. Beylograd is still RZRR, alongside the poles, which are under special administration with the Mandate of Elysium. which is another island off the coast of Hellia—Also, an RZRR puppet.
Earlier I mentioned Al Muhima and Titania being the Restored League and LEFA, respectively. That’s not a hundred percent correct. Al Muhima USED to be the Restored League, but is now officially the Kingdom of Al Muhima. the king being the same Malek of the Restored League on Terra. same king, different countries.
Titania has similar issues. Once LEFA, until The American Autonomy of Titania pushed for independence. Which they got, before LEFA changed out the leadership with their own, successfully creating another puppet state.
There are, of course, other powers, like Nigeria, and the Four Kingdoms of Africa, neither have territories in space aside from a few small asteroids. I should also mention a lot of these factions are built up of countries. So Britain is a part of the ITU, whereas the Dakarian Empire is a part of the Nigerian Republic.
Also, there’s plenty of dissent and militant groups, like Dunab in the outer parts of the Saturnian system. Or on Callisto, where there’s been plenty of uprisings and rebellions. All of this amounts to a pressure cooker of a Solar System that is about to blow.
I'm barely scratching the surface, but that should give you a rough overview of what this place is about. Hopefully next article we can break down something more in-depth. Let me know if there’s something you’re interested in learning more about.
Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next post!
RESOURCES USED:
- Civitai (Pony with Organic Sauce)
- Leonardo
- DALLE3
- Ideogram
- Huggingface (SD 1.5)
- Photoshop
- Krita Interstice (for inpainting)